Ella
by stellarstar2005
Summary: This is a Cinderella story set in modern day. It is unfinished, I have to do this for English class. Please R&R! Let me know if you think it's really bad, this is my first fan-fic. **Sorry Chapter 4 is so late, I've been really busy. But it's now up, enjo
1.

Cinderella  
  
  
  
Once upon a time....this is how the story doesn't start. This is not a traditional fairy tale. In fact, this fairy tale is so twisted it's actually, gasp, realistic! Almost. Anyway, this is the story of Cinderella, set in modern day.  
  
"ANN!!! Where are my black heels??" 16 year old, barefooted Ella Winters screamed at her stepmother, Ann.  
" They're in the living room. But did you empty the dishwasher like I asked?" asked Ann, who was in the kitchen mopping the floor.  
"Are you crazy? I can't empty that dreadful machine in this dress. Get Mary to do it, she likes that kind of stuff." Ella said, appearing in the doorway of the kitchen with one-black heel on.  
"But I asked you to do it, Ella. Mary did it for you last time, when you were going out with Michael" Ann said tiredly, but not unkindly.  
" You always make me do all the work around here!! I hate being the maid around here. And why do you hate me? You have always liked Mary better and I am so sick of it!!", Ella screeched, her face turning red from rage.  
" Ella, chill out, mom asked you to empty the dishwasher, not clean the whole house with a toothbrush." Ann's 18 year old daughter Mary said, with impatience in her voice.  
"Chill out, Ella," Ella mimicked Mary's voice," if you think that it isn't that big of a deal, why don't you do it? Michael's going to be here any minute, and I'm still not ready, thanks to Mom and you."  
"Ella, You are not going to go anywhere tonight if you don't empty the dishwasher. And Ella, please don't speak that way to Mary and I like that." Ann said in a semi-stern voice.  
"This is so unfair! You're so mean to me! Mary, get a life, and you won't always be stuck emptying that... awful... thing." Ella said hatefully, gesturing towards the dishwasher.  
Outside, a horn honked twice. Ella glanced towards the clock. She ran into the living room to find her other heel, but you could hear her muttering unkind, inappropriate things about Ann and Mary.  
The horn honked again. Ella threw open the door and ran outside to the car, never giving the house a second glance.  
Her stepmother sighed. She quietly said,  
" I've tried everything with that girl, but she is so horrible , towards me and you. I am close to giving up on her. She'll never like me. Oh well. Mary, dear, don't do the dishwasher, I'll do it when I finish mopping the floor."  
"Mom, I'll do it, you do enough work as it is! And Lord knows that she doesn't do anything to help, so I'll do it, since she probably will refuse to do it, as she usually does.", Mary said angrily, with a hint of sadness in her voice.  
Later that night...  
Ella comes stomping through the door crying hysterically.  
" Ella! What happened? Did Michael do something? Why are you crying?" Ann rushed to her stepdaughters aid, because the minute Ella had came through the door, she had fallen to the newly scrubbed floor.  
" Michael...told....me....that he thought I was a...spoiled princess... and ...a....snob!" Ella wailed, tears streaming down her usually perfectly made-up face.  
"Why would he say that?", mock surprise coming to Mary's face, as she smirked at Ella's "traumatic" event.  
Ella glared at Mary, and continued," We at that new French restaurant that had just opened and I ordered the lobster, which was just a tiny bit expensive, so Michael looks at me and asks, if I had to have the lobster. So I say yeah of course, so he says-"  
Mary tuned out as Ella continued to cry and talk about her night. It was always about Ella, she thought, as she glanced over at Ann listening patiently and murmuring soothing words to calm the wrought-up Ella  
Why can't my mom be that concerned about me? I am her flesh and blood, Ella is just her step-daughter, and a horrible mean, nasty one at that! Ann got so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Ann talking to her,  
"Mary?"  
"What?" Mary said, snapping back into reality.  
"I'm going to make some hot cocoa for Ella, do you want some?" Ann asked her daughter, while glancing over to make sure Ella had calmed down.  
"No, I think I'm just going to go to bed, I'm pretty tired." Mary said, faking a yawn.  
"Okay then, goodnight Mary", Ann whispered softly, heading towards the kitchen.  
Mary trudged up the stairs into her small, but spacious room. It was very neat, compared to Ella's huge pigsty-ish room, which had clothes strewn all over the floor.  
I hope tomorrow will be better, Mary thought, as she drifted off to sleep.  
The next morning...  
" ANN! Do you know where my pink sundress is?", Ella shouted from her room.  
" It's in here, I just finished ironing it." Ann yelled back.  
Ella appeared in the doorway of the sunlit kitchen in her pajamas, looking grumpy, as she usually did in the morning.  
Ella didn't say a word as she scuffled over to the coffee pot and poured herself some coffee. She took one big gulp, and half of it was gone.  
Wordlessly, she took the sundress from her Ann's outstretched arms and started up the stairs.   
Mary sat down at the table and ate her Frosted Flakes. She was already dressed in a plain denim skirt and a white short sleeved top.  
" I'm going to work, I'll be back by three." Mary said pleasantly, for unlike Ella, she was a morning person.  
" Okay dear, have fun", Ann said distractedly, for Ann was wondering if Ella was better.  
Mary started up her car, a blue Jeep, drove to the towne center in fifteen minutes, and went to her work, Starbucks.  
" Hey Mary! How's it goin'? her friend and co-worker, Jolene, asked.  
" Okay, but to tell you the truth, I've been better.", Mary replied, getting her apron on and checking herself in.  
"Maybe this will cheer you up. We got a new employee, since Diana left. He should be here in a half hour, and boss thought you could show him the ropes." Jolene yelled over the whirring of the blender.  
" How is Miss P. doing this morning?" Mary asked with a grimace, the grimace she usually had on her face when she referred to her boss.  
"Well, do want to hear about the coffee-bean throwing tantrum she had this morning at five? Or, do you want to hear about the sugar-packet counting at six?" Jolene asked, grinning.  
Mary laughed.   
"So, what time are you out of here?" Mary questioned, hoping that Jolene would be here to keep her company.  
Jolene checked her watch.  
"Five minutes ago." Jolene said happily, while taking off her coffee stained apron and heading towards the door.  
" Call me later and tell me about the new guy, okay?" Jolene added as she opened the door and ran straight into a customer.  
Mary laughed as Jolene apolgized profusely to the little old lady, who was a regular customer here.  
" Hi Mrs. Smithson, do you want the regular-" Mary was bombarded with customers after Mrs. Smithson, and rushed around.  
After awhile the crowd thinned out and Mary wondered where the new guy was. She checked her watch, he was supposed to be here five minutes ago! The door opened again, and the sunlight made it impossible to see anything except an outlined shadow of a person.  
Mary said in her happy-sounding voice,  
" Hi, welcome to Starbucks!"  
The person stepped into the room and Mary found herself looking at one of the most cutest guys she had ever seen.  
" Hi, I'm Jeremy, I'm the guy Miss P. hired to work here. Sorry I'm late, I got off the wrong exit." Jeremy said apologetically.  
"It's okay, I don't think Miss P. noticed, or she would've been out here already, firing you on the spot." Mary said with a smile, gazing into his green eyes.  
"Is she okay? When I met her for my job interview, she seemed sort of, wired." Jeremy said, putting on the apron Mary had handed him.  
" Well, what do you expect? This is a coffee-house, the people here tend to get a little crazy. Sometimes, if Miss P is really wired, she throws tantrums. I heard today she was launching coffee beans at a customer who wanted a special order." Mary said softly," And she also counts the sugar packets. Yeah, she's a pretty crazy lady, some people think that she has," Mary leans towards Jeremy and whispers in a conspiratorial voice," psychological problems."  
Jeremy smiles and shakes his head, like he can't believe it.  
" And so this is where we mix and blend the lattes and frappachinos." Mary said in a loud voice, she had seen Miss P. come out of her office, so she had quickly changed the subject.  
Jeremy looked confused, then sees Miss P and understands.  
" Jeremy. Are you getting the hang of this? I hope Mary here has been explaining all of this to you okay." Miss P, a heavyset woman in her late 50s, says curtly.  
" Yes, Ma'am, Mary is doing a great job of explaining, but this job sounds like a lot of work. But I can do it." Jeremy says in his polite, cordial voice.  
" Well, it's nice to see you adjusting to this, keep up the good work!" Miss P said in one of her rare, happy sounding voices.  
Mary looks at Jeremy in astonishment, Miss P never gives out compliments. Jeremy just shrugs, and Mary starts explaining again.  
Later that day...  
Mary is gabbing on the phone to Jolene, when Ella enters.  
" Ella, what are you doing in my room?" Mary asks, "Can I call you back Jolene?"  
" Well??" Mary asks again, impatient.  
" I was at Starbucks today, and you weren't there, but this really hot guy was." Ella said snidely," I didn't know that you knew any hot guys. I thought that it was just you and that," Ella wrinkles her nose," Jolene girl. How come you never told me about Jeremy?"  
" How'd you know his name?" Mary asked, sad, because she liked Jeremy and thought that Ella was going to steal him away from her.  
Not that he was hers to have been stolen from.  
" I asked him. I didn't ask for his number, because I thought-"  
Ella drifted off.  
" You thought what?" Mary said angrily, " that I would give you his number? Why don't I just ask him out for you?"  
" Mary, you didn't have to get so mad, I was just asking..." Ella said, actually sounding sort of hurt," but if you're going to be so miffed about it then I can get it from him myself."  
  
To be continued....  
  
R&R please  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

  
" Did it ever occur to you that maybe he isn't interested in you?", Mary said in a surprisingly rude voice," And maybe if you thought of other people for once in your life, maybe you'd realize that maybe other people like him."  
Yeah, but that doesn't mean that he likes them back." Ella said, oblivious to the comment," I saw him today, he looked real interested in me."  
"Wait a second, you like him, don't you?" Ella said, surprised that her step-sister had such good taste," Well, if you want my opinion, I don't think you stand a chance with people like me standing in your way."  
"I didn't ask for your opinion, now get out of my room!" Mary screamed at Ella, furious.  
"Don't worry, I'm leaving, but don't forget what I said." Ella said, winking at her step sister as she walked out of room.  
Mary sat down on her bed and fell back on the bed. She felt the tears come down her face, but she made no attempt to brush them away.  
  
The next day....  
Mary walked into Starbucks for her first shift of the week, the 5-9 shift.  
She saw Jeremy and felt the blood rush to her face.  
"Hey Mary! What's up?" Jeremy said, handing her a new apron.  
" School was pretty boring, but other than that..." Mary started to say when a customer walked through the door.  
It was Ella. Mary could tell that she had taken extra care to look good today, and she looked, even Mary had to admit this, gorgeous. Her long blonde hair was in a loose ponytail that hung down her back, and she had on a microscopic black dress.   
Ella smiled maliciously as she saw Mary and Jeremy. She sauntered over to the counter and said with a sexy smirk,  
" Hi Jeremy, having fun?"  
Jeremy glanced at her, smiled and replied,  
" I am now. "  
Mary shot daggers at Ella and obnoxiously asked,  
"Do you want anything?? Because we're very busy and don't have time for social visits."  
Ella surveyed the almost empty shop and sneered at Mary. Then she asked sweetly,  
" Can I please talk to Jeremy alone for five little itsy-bitsy minutes?"  
Jeremy turned to look at Mary and gave his puppy dog face.  
Mary grumbles,  
" I guess. But five minutes only!"  
Jeremy gives a salute.  
"Yes Ma'am!" he says cutely, then follows Ella out the main doors.  
Mary stares out broken heartedly at them. Ella pulls Jeremy close, and whispers something in his ear that makes him turn a dark shade of red. Ella laughs and then takes out a piece of paper and writes something down on it.  
They sit down at one of tables and chat a little while longer, before Jeremy gets up reluctantly to return to work.  
Mary is fighting back tears as Jeremy comes in the shop calling out to Ella,  
"See you on Friday!"  
Mary barely glances at him as he comes back behind the counter.  
Jeremy is whistling and smiling as he mixes up lattes for customers, but Mary barely glances at her customers until she hears a vaguely familiar voice ask her,  
" Can I have a mocha frappachino with no whip cream?"  
Mary looks up and sees Michael, Ella's most recent ex-boyfriend.  
Michael looks surprised and says,  
"Oh, I didn't know you worked here, how are ya doing?"  
Mary remembers the conversations they had had while Michael had waited for Ella. He was extremely nice and didn't really seem Ella's type.  
" Yeah, I've been working here for a couple months now. Do you come here often?" Mary said as she handed back Michael's change.  
" She screamed out Michael's order for Jeremy to make, then said,  
" So how are you doing? Ella was real upset at you on Saturday and she told us what happened. I must say, thank you! She really deserved what you told her and a whole lot more."  
Michael looked sheepish and ran his fingers through his spiky brown hair.  
" Oh, I'm sort of ashamed that I went off like that. But she was so bossy and overbearing, I felt like strangling her until her face turned blue." Michael said with contempt in his voice.  
"When it comes to Ella, we all feel like that most of the time." Mary said, laughing.  
" Well, listen, I've been doing some thinking and I was remembering our conversations and I think that, no, I know that I really like you way, way better than I ever liked Ella. Would you go out with me on Friday night?" Michael said shyly, looking down at his feet.  
Mary smiled. He's not Jeremy, but he seems really nice. And cute too! Mary thought.  
" Yes, I'd love to go out with you." Mary replied, just as shyly.  
Jeremy comes over with a weird look on his face.  
" Here's your frappachino." Jeremy said gruffly, almost chucking the cup at Michael.  
Michael is grinning like crazy as he takes the frappachino and calls out,  
"See you on Friday Mary!"  



	3. Chapter 3

Mary didn't think Friday would ever come, but it finally did. She and Michael had talked on the phone every night, and Mary found herself liking him a lot. He was funny, smart, compassionate, sweet, and caring.   
Let Ella have Jeremy, she thought as she got ready for her date on Friday night, I'm going out with Michael!  
Ella was also getting ready for her big date. She was unaware that Mary was going out with Michael, she thought that Mary still liked Jeremy.  
Finally, both girls were ready, they passed each other in the hall, and Ella did a double take.  
" Why are you so dressed up?" Ella asked viciously," Are you trying to look good for when Jeremy comes to pick me up for my date?"  
Before Mary can reply, the doorbell rings. Ann answers the door, and there is Michael, standing there with a bunch of freshly picked daisies.  
"What are you doing here, Michael?" Ella asks, confused, " did you come here to finally apologize?"  
"I'm not here for you, I'm taking Mary out." Michael says with a mean grin on his face.  
" Wha-" Ella is cut off, Jeremy walks up to the front door.  
" What are you doing here, Mary?" Jeremy asks, confused.  
"I live here. Didn't Ella tell you that we were step sisters?" Mary asks, but from the look on Jeremy's face, it is clear that Ella didn't tell him anything.  
There is an awkward silence. Ella is glaring at Mary, Michael is glaring at Ella, and Jeremy still looks bewildered.  
Mary breaks the silence.  
"Come on Michael, if we're late, they're going to cancel our reservation." Mary said tensely, taking Michael's hand and calling out,  
" Bye Mom, I'll be back by 11."  
Ella and Jeremy head towards Jeremy's car, a black convertible . But Ella is still glaring at the headlights of Michael's retreating headlights.  
  
At the restaurant,  
  
Mary takes Michael's hand.  
"I'm so full, I could explode!" Mary jokes, " That was really good Michael, this was a good choice."  
" I'm glad you liked it." Michael says, happy," I think you'll like what I planned next."  
"Oooooh, what is it, Michael?" Mary says excitedly.  
" It's a surprise." Michael says teasingly.  
Mary pulls Michael close and whispers in his ear,  
" Pretty, pretty, please will you tell me?"  
He just shakes his head and gets into the car. Mary slides in next to him, mentally trying to guess where they're going.  
  
Later that night,  
  
Michael walks Mary up to the front door of her house.  
" I had a really good time tonight." Mary says softly, reaching up and touching Michael's cheek with her cold hand.  
The evening had been really fun, Mary thought.  
Michael's surprise had turned out to be a moonlit stroll along the deserted beach. They had walked hand in hand, their feet sinking in the sand.  
" I'm glad you had a good time, will you go out with me again" Michael said so faintly Mary had to strain her ears to hear him.  
Mary smiled and replied with,  
" Do you even have to ask?" Of course I will. How about next Friday?"  
  
A couple months later,  
  
Mary sits down casually next to Michael, hiding one hand behind her back.  
" If you can guess what behind my back, you can have one." Mary said teasingly. She and Michael had been dating for two months, and she loved every single minute that they spent together. She and Jeremy had become good friends, but sometimes at work, Mary would catch him staring at her with a peculiar expression on his face. As soon as she caught him, he would turn away quickly. Jeremy was still dating Ella, but whenever you saw them together out on a date, Jeremy didn't look very happy. He usually had a strange, dazed look on his face, like he was thinking about something, or someone, else.   
Back to Mary and Michael, Michael is trying to guess what Mary has behind her back. Finally he gives up and Mary hands him a dance ticket.   
" The Sadie Hawkins dance is on Friday, would you accompany me there, Michael?" Mary says grandly.  
Michael reaches over and hugs Mary.  
" I would be honored to go, Mary." Michael says just as grandly. He and Mary both start laughing at how formal they were being.  
Meanwhile,  
Ella is at Starbucks, leaning on the counter, as Jeremy the counter. She is talking a mile a minute, but Jeremy isn't really listening.   
Ella waves her hand in front of Jeremy's face.  
" Hello?! Have you heard one word that I've said?" Ella asks annoyed.  
" No, I've just got a lot of stuff on my mind right now, what were you saying?" Jeremy says distractedly.  
" I was saying, what are you planning to wear at the dance on Friday? Because my dress is silver, and if your tux doesn't match, we'll look totally stupid!" Ella said, still mad at Jeremy for not paying full attention to her.  
" Huh?! What dance?" Jeremy says, still a little out of it.  
" The dance on Friday! It's all I've been talking about for weeks, do you care about me or my feelings at all?!" Ella shouted, irate.  
" Oh, that dance." Jeremy said, finally realizing that Ella is super angry at him, " I was kidding Ella, why did you get so mad?"  
Ella realizes that she got mad at him for nothing and pastes a sugary sweet smile on her face.  
" Oh, Jeremy, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were kidding, you seemed really serious". Ella purred, " You are such a good kidder!"  
Jeremy does his best to look peeved, and Ella leans over and puts her hand over Jeremy's, so he is forced to stop his cleaning.  
" Jeremy, look at me." Ella said, " Jeremy, you're not mad at me, are you?"   
Jeremy sighs and says,  
" No, I'm not mad, but I've got a lot of work to do. Can I call you later?"  
Ella, relieved that Jeremy's not mad, gives him a hug.  
" Of course, I understand!" Ella gives him a big smile as she says this.  
She turns on her heel and calls over her shoulder as she walks out the door,  
"Bye Jer!"  
" Bye Ell!" Jeremy says in his fake happy sounding voice.  
Phew, she's finally gone. How am I gonna break it to her that I can't stand her? Jeremy thought as he put the rag in the bucket, I wonder when Mary is going to be here?  
The door opens, and Mary comes rushing through.  
" Sorry I'm late, I was talking to Michael and I lost track of time." Mary said breathlessly.  
Jeremy smiles sadly. If only I had asked Mary out before Michael did, he thought to himself, I might be the one with Mary and Ella would have somebody else wrapped around her pinkie.  
To Mary he said,   
"It's okay, I've been managing, we're not very busy, as you can see."   
Mary quickly looked around the room and laughed.  
" I noticed that. I might have to talk to Miss P about this. I think you're scaring away the customers." Mary said with a teasing smile.  
" The only scary thing here is your face." Jeremy growled. He looked totally serious for a second, then he smiled widely.  
Then, without warning, Mary picks up a rag and throws it at Jeremy.  
" Who's scary now?" she shrieked, letting loose a bunch of giggles.  
Jeremy stands there, then suddenly flings the rag back at Mary. It hits her squarely in the face.  
She rushes to hit him with the rag, but unexpectedly trips and slips on the water on the floor. Jeremy lunges and catches her, and all of a sudden, Mary is aware of how close he is. But she doesn't make a move to get up. Jeremy leans down and their lips meet in a kiss. They are so busy kissing, that they don't notice the door open and there is Michael, standing there with a bunch of daisies in his hand. He drops the daisies, calmly walks over to Jeremy, and punches him in the face.  
He looks at Mary, and then he walks out of the shop.  
Mary gets up, and runs after him.  
" Michael, wait!" Mary calls out, trying to keep up with Michael's fast pace," I can explain!"  
Michael whips around and glares at Mary.  
" Oh, I'm waiting to hear this. What, did you slip and fall and Jeremy just happened to catch you and he gave you CPR to make sure you were okay?!" Michael says sarcastically.  
" Yes! That's part of what happened. I slipped on some water and Jeremy stopped me from falling and hitting my head." Mary said, hoping that Michael will believe her.  
But, of course, he doesn't.  
"I saw you kissing him!!." Michael shouts angrily, but there was also a note of sadness in his voice.  
" I really cared for you." Michael said, with, tears(?) in his eyes.  
" Can you just leave me alone??" Michael said, abruptly, and he started walking to his car with short, quick paces.  
" No, Michael, I really care for you too!" Mary called out to him, not walking to catch up with him but on the ground, crying.  
" I hope you and Jeremy have a happy life together." Michael called out as he drove off.  
" Michael, you have to believe me! I don't like Jeremy, I like you!" Mary cried out desperately, as she sobs uncontrollably.  
  
But it is too late, Michael is gone.  
  



	4. Chapter 4

At Starbucks,   
  
Jeremy sits at one of the chairs, holding an ice-pack against his chin. He sighs dolefully out   
at the empty parking lot, when Jolene bursts through the door.   
"Hey Jer, what's up?" she says then she notices the ice-pack, " Oh my gosh! What   
happened??" She rushes over to him.  
Jeremy feebly shrugs and says, " It's no big deal. Michael caught me and Mary   
kissing, and he punched me." Jolene looks crushed, then she says briskly, " I hope you're   
all-right."  
Jeremy, talking to himself, says, " I don't like Mary like that, this feeling came over   
me, and I just had to do something."   
Jolene looks sympathetic and reaches out to touch Jeremy's hand.  
  
  
A couple days later,  
  
Mary is lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling miserably. She is thinking about how bad   
her life is now that Michael's gone. Someone knocks on her bedroom door and she   
tonelessly answers, "Come in."  
The door opens, and there is Jolene, a sympathetic smile on her face. "Mar, you're still in   
bed?! This really must be hard for you if you refuse to get up, usually you're up before   
most normal people are even thinking about waking up."  
"Yeah well, I have no reason to get up. Michael's out of my life, and no one,   
including Jeremy, can take his place." Mary said melancholy.  
Suddenly she brightens, and says excitedly, "Hey maybe Michael will be at the dance! I   
can talk to him then, and maybe we'll work things out."  
Jolene, a smile forming on her face, says, " Hey, that's not a bad idea, maybe   
Michael will have cooled down enough to talk."  
Mary jumps out of bed and looks ecstatic. " Why are we here? We should be   
shopping for the perfect dress so I can look good on Friday. Come on, lets go!" Mary   
says, while changing into clothes, the first time she's actually changed clothes all week.  
  
Jolene and Mary have just come back from shopping and Mary has found the   
perfect dress. It is a light blue off the shoulder dress. She even found the perfect pair of   
shoes, though she'll have to have them professionally dyed to match her dress.  
Mary looks at the dress and says, " Do you think that Michael will talk to me,   
honestly?"  
Jolene looks uncomfortable and says, " I don't know Mary, he seemed pretty sad   
when I saw him at school. He looked like he just lost his best friend."  
Mary sighs softly. " I really messed things up didn't I? Why did Jeremy have to kiss   
me? Why did I have to kiss him back?"  
Jolene said, " What's done is done, you shouldn't focus on what has already   
happened, you should focus on what could happen in the future, if you make it happen."  
Mary smiled. " Jolene, you are the greatest. If it weren't for you, I would probably   
still be lying in bed, wallowing over the past, and eating a carton of ice -cream."  
Jolene shrugged." Hey I do what I can, and I just want to see you happy again."   
Mary and Jolene hug, and Jolene leaves, letting Mary think things over.  
  
At the dance,  
  
Mary is just arriving, and looks around the gym in awe. It has been turned into a   
magic wonderland, with all it's bright, happy decorations. She looks around for Ella, but   
instead, runs into Ella and Jeremy.  
Ella knows that Mary and Michael broke up, but she doesn't know that Mary and   
Jeremy kissed. She glared at Mary as she said, " Come on Jer, it smells over here."  
Jeremy looks miserable and he says to Ella, " Can I talk to Mary for a second,   
Ell?" Ella turns to glowered at him and mumbles angrily, " Like, whatever."  
Ella dashes off to find her friends and Jeremy says to Mary, " I'm really sorry about   
what happened. It's all my fault, and if you want me to tell Michael that, I will. I also know   
that while I can't stand being with Ella any longer, I also can't really be with you. The truth   
is, I really like Jolene. She puts a smile on my face when I come to work, and she makes   
me laugh, even when I'm really depressed."   
Mary, relieved that Jeremy didn't like her, leaned over and hugged him. She said to   
him, " It's okay, I understand. And I think Jolene likes you back, she looked awfully upset   
when I told her about our kiss, even though she knew it had happened. I think she was   
jealous. I'm glad you found someone that is not Ella, I hope you find Jolene that and tell   
her!"  
Mary and Jeremy walk away from each other, and Mary continues looking for   
Michael. He is standing alone, to her great satisfaction. She hurries over to him and says,   
"Before you turn and walk away, just listen to me, okay? Michael just stands there,   
waiting for her to go on, " I know what I did really hurt you and I can't take it back, but I   
can stand here and apologize, and let you hear how I feel." Mary takes a deep breath, then   
continues.  
" I love you, Michael. You are the best boyfriend, friend, and protector, all rolled   
into one. I can't sleep because of what I did to you, and I sincerely hope you'll forgive me.   
I know that I betrayed you, but doesn't a really great relationship deserve a second   
chance? Mary says, looking into Michael's chocolate brown eyes.  
Just then, a perky blonde squeezes through and says to Michael, " Were you   
waiting for me for very long? The line over by the drinks was so long, it took ages. I   
missed you." Then she turns to Mary.  
" Hi I'm Jennifer, I'm Michael's date, who are you?" she says lively, unaware that   
Mary and Michael are staring at each other in a strange way.  
Jennifer waves her hand in front of Mary's face. "Hello? Who are you?"  
Mary mumbles to Michael, " Oh, I didn't know that you had come here with someone   
else. I guess I'll just be leaving now." She starts to walk away, but Michael suddenly says,  
"Wait! She's not my date, I don't even know this person."  
Jennifer turns to him and giggles, " What are you talking about, silly? You asked   
me to the dance two days ago, saying something about how much you like me, how much   
you've liked me sincelast year, don't you remember, sweetie pie?" on this last word his   
voice takes on a chilled tone, and she glances at Michael with her chilly ice blue eyes.  
Mary starts to walk faster and once she gets outside, she breaks out into a run.   
Michael takes off after her, and finally she stops and says in a sad voice, " Don't you have   
to be with your date? Why are you out here chasing me?"  
Michael says confused and angry, " I swear Mary, I didn't ask that girl to the   
dance, I don't know why she thinks that, maybe she's insane."  
Mary, unsure, but not wanting to break the trust says," I don't know why I believe   
you, but I do, because I know you would never lie to me. Will you ever forgive me?"  
Michael stares at Mary contentedly and says, " I forgive you Mary, and I have   
loved you from the moment I asked you out on that wonderful first date." They stare at   
each other, then leaned in for a long kiss. And they lived—  
Wait, someone is throwing a shoe at them! It misses them by a mile, but they can   
tell it was aimed at them. They look up, and there is Ella, standing there with one shoe on.   
She looks beyond angry, or even beyond sanity.  
" HOW COULD YOU KISS MY BOYFRIEND????!!!!" Ella screams at Mary,   
getting ready to throw the other shoe.  
Mary says calmly, " I didn't kiss him, he kissed me. Please go talk to him about it,   
I am busy making up with my boyfriend."  
Ella screams in rage and is about to throw the show, when a shoe comes flying at   
her, hitting her in the head and knocking her out.  
Mary hears a familiar laugh, and she turns to find Jeremy and Jolene strolling hand   
in hand towards them.  
" OOPS!" Jolene says, and everyone laughs, " Mary we were going to come out   
here and warn you that Ella paid some chick to pretend like she was Michael's boyfriend,   
but instead we rescued you from Ella, the dangerous shoe flinger, ready to attack you! I'm   
glad you guys made up, but I can't help but feel sorry for......no, wait, I don't feel sorry   
for Ella, she doesn't deserve it."  
Mary smiles at her best friend." And I'm glad you guys got together, you both   
deserve happiness." Jeremy and Jolene glance at each other bashfully, and grin.  
" Now if you'll excuse us, Michael and I have a lot of making up to do." Mary   
said, leaning over for another kiss.  
" You're right about that." Michael says softly, as their lips meet. And as they   
kissed, all their problems ceased to exist.  
  
The End  
  
Authors Note: Please R&R tell me if it's too sappy. I'm happy with the way it came out,   
let me know if you agree/disagree. Thanks!!  
  
  



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